Today I feel froggy, and am going to write about former college and pro football player turned wrestler, Marcus Dupree, "The Best That Never Was" .

Marcus Dupree was all world in high school football, went to OU and than vanished from college football. His journey then took him to the USFL, NFL and then to professional wrestling.

Dupree was born on May 22, 1964 in Philadelphia, Mississippi. He played football for the Philadelphia High School Tornadoes. He started as a wide receiver and kickoff/punt returns. He was fast, running the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds. In his freshmen year he had 12 touchdowns. Marcus then became a running back in his sophomore season. He scored 28 touchdowns and rushed for 1,850 yards in his first season as a running back. For his junior season Marcus rushed for 2,550 and scored 34 touchdowns, 9 of them from kickoff returns. His senior season seen him rush for 2,955 yards and scored 36 touchdowns. He finished his high school career with 7,355 rushing yards and averaged 8.3 yards per carry. With 87 career touchdowns, Dupree set a high school touchdown record.

Marcus was recruited by all the major college football programs. He finally selected the Oklahoma Sooners. In his freshmen season he rushed for 1,144 yards and had 13 touchdowns. Dupree’s sophomore season, 1984, would be considered the weirdest ever for a player. In the first four games of the season, Marcus only rushed for 369 yards and three touchdowns. He suffered a concussion in a game against Texas. After the game he vanished for a week. He showed up in Mississippi to announce he was leaving Oklahoma University to transfer to the University of Southern Mississippi. The NCAA informed Marcus Dupree he would have to sit out the 1984 season. Instead of sitting out he left college.

Dupree signed with the New Orleans Breakers of the United States Football League right after leaving college football behind. In his first pro game, on his first attempt he scored a touchdown. He didn’t play much due to injuries, but managed to score 9 touchdowns on 145 carries and 684 yards. His second season, the team moved to Portland, Oregon. In the season opener Marcus injured his knee badly. He had to be carried off the field on a stretcher.

After sitting out for 5 years, Marcus, at the urging of Walter Payton, tried his hands in the NFL. In 1990, he signed with the Los Angeles Rams, who had drafted him in 1986 in case he decided to play in the NFL. It was in week 9 of the season that Dupree played. He rushed for 22 years. Dupree’s first NFL season ended with 72 yards on 19 carries in 3 games.

In 1991, Marcus missed the first seven games due an injury suffered in practice. He returned in week 8. For the season his stats were 179 yards on 49 carries and one touchdown.

In 1992 Dupree was released from the Rams with a career record of 251 yards on 68 carries with 1 touchdown.

For a person who had the whole world in his grasp at the start of his college career, his professional career ended in a thud.

In 1995, Marcus Dupree performed as a wrestler for the USWA. He was a tag team partner of David Rich for eight weeks. No matches can be found. Although he is listed as an alumni of the promotion I have not been able to uncover anything significant about his time in the promotion. It is rumored that he was trained by Tom Pritchard. In research the talent trained by Pritchard, Dupree’s name never showed up. Marcus Dupree has mentioned that “he worked some cards in the early 1990s with Jerry Lawler in Memphis.”

Dupree has blown his millions of dollars. From 1996 until 2010, Marcus had various jobs. He's been a nightclub owner, a casino greeter, a small-time entrepreneur and a truck driver and working for BP, helping clean up the Gulf oil spill. But in 2011, Dupree returned to wrestling. He is running a pro wrestling promotion, New Mid-South Wrestling, with his company Dupree & McAfee Entertainment. The company wants to go back to the “territory” days of wrestling, in the east Mississippi area, when one promotion worked a certain area and that was it. Originally, one of the promotions in the east Mississippi area was Mid-South Wrestling which was owned by Cowboy Bill Watts, Gulf Coast Wrestling which was owned by Lee Fields, and, for a short while, Deep South Wrestling. Now it looks as if Marcus Dupree is trying his hands in regional wrestling. New Mid-South Wrestling will give the fans a chance to see their favorites who are no longer on national television.

His first promotion was held in Philadelphia, Mississippi and was called “Redemption“. Dupree teamed up with David Rich to take on Tommy “Wildfire” Rich and Doug Gilbert for the tag team titles.

"Marcus is trying to get New Mid-South Wrestling going, and so far, I think he's been pretty smart about it," Rich said. "Marcus is already making plans for another card. A lot of guys are still around, wrestling in smaller promotions."

He hopes to get a circuit going in rural towns where there isn't a whole lot else to do on a Saturday night.

800 people showed up for the New Mid-South Wrestling’s first promotion. Dupree and Rich did win the tag team belts.

Greetings from the Hoodwood where reports of remote meltdowns and burnouts are widespread.

I don’t know who was the person who thought up having the NCAA on four different networks but I hope he has a corner office by now. I’m not gonna lie, I am so loving the concept. Forget whiparounds, forget starting one game and having portions of the country drop out. If you want to follow one team that’s not local to you, you can. If you want to ignore a team, like I do with UK and Ohio State. You can. I love this concept and hope this is a staple of March for years to come. Though I think remote burnouts and meltdowns like you see with me will be prevelant.

To start out let me sing a verse or two from the R&B singer Anita Baker…this song is dedicated to a certain team

I apologize…believe me. I apologize…honest. Cause I know I was wrong...thats why I'm singing this song... I know I cant sing, I got cut from the choir in the 6th grade and again from the UC Choir (I was chasing a girl, dont ask)

I will be among the masses of so-called experts that was ragging on the selection committee for its inclusion of VCU in the field that are now offering up a mea culpa. The Rams just smashed a trio of teams to get to the Sweet 16 and have more than justified their entry in the field. Oh and Im just waiting for the speculation about their head coach Shaka Smart being coveted by different big name schools (Tennessee and Providence are a pair of schools that come to mind)

After the first weekend, its been just what you expect, a few routs here and there. But more often than not the games have been tight tense and thrilling. Morehead State knocking off an overrated Louisville. And the arrogant Rick Pitino getting his comeuppance. I enjoyed watching Pitino looking very uncomfortable as a guest analyst.

The crafty Richmond Spiders proving that they earned the auto bid from the A-10 in beating Vandy. Jimmer Fredette being all that was advertised in getting BYU to the 2nd weekend for the first time in 30 years.

Though it pains me to remember, the continued sustained excellent play of Connecticut’s Kemba Walker who has been carrying the Huskies for the past two or three weeks has been a highlight of the tourney. He was the reason why my beloved Bearcats have been ousted from the tourney.

I was a bit dismayed by the squawking over the end of the Pitt-Butler game though. The focus should not have been on the refs who got the last two calls right and I give dap to for rightly not swallowing their whistles. The focus should have been on why Shelvin Mack was fouling Gilbert Brown 45 feet from the hoop or what Nassir Robinson was thinking going after the rebound on the missed free throw and fouling Matt Howard who made the winning free throw.

Lay off the Big East

I will admit that I am a Big East fan, and am a Cincinnati grad. I was also one that was adamant that that the league didn’t deserve 11 bids, but found it ironic that the 11th team Marquette was one of the two surviving teams. Im annoyed by the collective potshots being taken by the media (thankfully man-gina Colin Cowherd was not on the air to whine about it on Monday) about how the Big East flamed out so badly, but I will defend the Big East. Tell me, of the power conferences would the 11th place team in the Big Ten or SEC or Big 12 be able to hang with Marquette? Remember that was the 11th place team in the Big East. All of a sudden much has been made of the ACC having more teams left in the tourney. Some of these pundits forget that a couple of the Big East teams that were eliminated by other Big East teams, and the Big Ten and SEC hasn't done that well in the tourney either.

Comeuppance for the Bucks

Its no secret that Im no fan of THE Ohio State University. I respect their football team, but I loath their noisy arrogant fans. Its funny to see how quiet these fans have become in the wake of the suspensions of Terrelle Pryor among the Tattoo five and now their supposed sainted coach Jim Tressel extending his self-imposed suspension from two to five games. I don’t care what folks say, Tressel’s suspension is a farce, a joke an affront. Tressel knew what he knew and he lied to NCAA investigators. Now he wants people to believe that he will fall on his sword and take the same penalty as the players? Bullshit. Ivan Maisel wrote a scathing piece on Tress and the Bucks, he highlighted just what I thought. Tressel is still coaching, he makes the game plan he installs it and he will be coaching the team. You just wont see the sweater vest man on the sidelines for the first five games of the 2011 season. No big sweat with games against lollipops like Akron and Toledo a weak Miami and Colorado and the Big Ten opener against Michigan State. Tress and his holier than thou sycophants are a joke. They get what they deserve.

Phat Dap

To Anthony Robles, the national champion wrestler from Arizona State. Winning the 125 pound weight division and completing an unbeaten season all despite only having one leg. Robles was born without one leg and hip bone but was a multiple All-American and defeated defending national champ Matt McDonough of Iowa . This young man is the portrait of hard work, dedication and perseverance. He overcame his disability and is a champion, give that brotha some serious dap.

Head Slap

To Tennessee Athletic Director Mike Hamilton, whose classless way of throwing embattled (and now former) coach Bruce Pearl under the bus when asked about Pearl’s job status. Did Pearl deserve to get the gate? Maybe and that was his decision but after multiple no comments, Hamilton should have continued to keep his mouth shut. You think making that comment had anything with the Vols getting housed by Michigan in the first round?

Hey I can write a column without a spec sheet! But that its for this week. Im going to the Hoodwood Electronics Store now and see if I can find a replacement for my burnout remote.

Many thanks to Bandits Mom, for letting me stink up her living room with smoke and taking the pic

Matt Cooke. Until hockey players police this jackass, I’m calling ALL Hockey players out! That’s right, I’m pulling their MAN card! The time for talk is over - NHL PLAYERS NEED TO TAKE THIS DOUCHE BAG OUT AND IF THEY DON’T THEIR A BUNCH OF MOTHER-FUCKING SISSIES who are flat out AFRAID of Cooke! Either that, or opponents single out every Pittsburgh player for on-ice punishment. I just don’t get how NHL players haven’t already thrown the mother of all beatdowns on this guy. If ever a group of people could become united on something, taking out Cooke should be it.

I get the idea about fighting and being physical in the NHL and even have no problem with it, but when is this gonna end? Cooke’s already proven that he doesn’t care about the rules, nor about the players welfare in the league.

So the NHL has spoken and given him a vacation for the rest of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs, which all added up is anywhere between 14 and 17 games. Not bad, but it shouldn’t end there, Pittsburgh's ownership group, GM, and Coach should all be find, suspended, and/or warned that any further actions by this joker will result in swift and sure response from the league.

Oh yeah, on to the Penguins players themselves. Hey assholes, Matt Cooke has put a target square on your backs. Why the hell aren’t you regulating on him?

Damn, I just couldn't resist posting that pic above

March Madness. This past weekend was a sad time in Gab-land, what with Texas, Syracuse, Cincinnati, and Notre Dame all taking losses, while the team WE ALL love to hate, that no-good bunch of hypocritical scumbags known as THE Ohio State University absolutely worked one of our more favorite teams – George Mason.

The Big East only advanced two of 11 teams to the sweet sixteen. I still maintain that 11 teams was FAR AND AWAY too many teams. I will admit that I was wrong about Marquette, but that being the case, why was Villanova and Georgetown in the Big Dance in the first place? Both had four plus game losing streaks, and Villanova took a bad loss in the Big East tourney to South Florida. If that wasn’t a clue, I don’t know what was!

Tennessee you bunch of quitters, you are an embarrassment to the SEC! Not only did you not belong in the dance in the first place, you LAID DOWN against Michigan. That was a spot that could have went to a team who would have at least tried (Alabama, Va Tech, Colorado, and about 10 others I can think of would have killed for that spot)! I know you’re going before the NCAA infractions committee down the line, but your “performance” against Michigan was inexcusable. You only sent Michigan to the free throw line one time? I’ve never heard of that. You can bet that if I’m taking as ass-whoopin’ on the court, the last thing I’m doing is playing an “O-Lay” defense, somebody on the other side is hitting the floor hard!

Hey North Cack-i-lacky, talk no junk. Washington screwed up at the end, but that unbelieveably one-sided officiating in the first half is what kept your asses in the game when the Huskies were owning your ass. And yeah, that 10+ to two foul call differential WAS the difference in that game.

VCU has beaten a Pac-10 team (U$C), a Big East team (Georgetown), and now a Big Ten team (Purdue) but they didn’t deserve to get in now did they? Did somebody say this team didn’t belong? Look, for the last time, there is nothing wrong with “mid-majors” playing in the dance – in fact, more should get at-large bids, rather than scrubs from the Little Sisters of the Poor Conference (Err, Big Ten).

If I were to say ask you, which conference has the most teams remaining, would you believe that it’s the ACC? Yeah, the ACC, you know the “down” conference this year? They have more teams in the dance than the mighty Big East, and the seven that the scrubs from the Little Ten sent.

Before I go...But one thing that college coaches need to work with their players on is free-throw shooting, because it’s becoming abysmal and costing teams many games – I’m sure Pitt, Texas, and UCLA can identify with that..

Let's hope San Diego State, and one of the three double digit seeds in the southwest (Florida State perhaps?) can pull some stuff off!

My cousin has started a fantasy baseball league at Yahoo. I am in the league and we are inviting anyone who is interested in playing to join. I am in it as Scottjax. The league draft is March 28th at 6PM. Here is the info for joining the league:

How many of you are in the same boat as I am with your brackets? My bracket was shot to shit on the first day of the tourney, as soon as Morehead State took out Louisville. If that didn't blow it up enough, Syracuse had to finish the job by losing to Marquette (sorry Felber). In the two brackets I filled out, the two champions I picked (Duke and UConn) are still in the tournament (I probably just jinxed them), so I will try to take solace in the fact that I might at least pick the champion correctly in one of my brackets, even if the rest of the bracket is completely screwed all to hell.

Even though my brackets are now nothing more than wasted ink on dead trees, I have to say that this year's tournament has been exciting (at least the games I've seen have been), so even though I pretty much have no chance to win the bracket challenge, at least I can watch some great basketball for the next two weeks without having to keep looking at my bracket to see what I stand to gain or lose based on the result of the game I'm watching.

I think I'm going to jump on Richmond's bandwagon for the rest of the tournament. They have all the qualities you want in a Cinderella team (hardly anyone thought they would even make it past Vanderbilt, much less the Sweet 16), and it would be cool to see another no-name team bust open the tournament and make it to the finals again like Butler did last year. Plus, their nickname is the Spiders. How cool is that?

Moving on to pro sports, not much has changed in the NFL front. There's still a lockout, and the millionaires are still pissed off at the billionaires, and the billionaires are still pissed off at the millionaires, and we the fans are still suffering with no NFL offseason to talk about except for who's appearing in court on what day, and who is suing who for an anti-trust violation. Franky, I'm so pissed off at the whole situation that the NFL is dead to me until they get this shit straightened out. Next topic...

I don't have anything to say about the NBA, but I would just like to put it out there that I'm still anxiously waiting for LeBron James to tear his ACL. I hate that motherfucker.

Baseball's Opening Day is right around the corner, and I am counting down the days until the first pitch is thrown. I don't know about you, but I'm ready for the warm summer nights where I can sit back with a baseball game on the radio and an ice cold beer to waste the night away without a care in the world. That's what makes baseball so great -- the ability to just kick back and relax with the sounds of America's Pastime on the radio. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy watching baseball on tv, but there's just something special about listening to it on the radio that makes it so much more enjoyable than tv could ever provide.

One of the darkest aspects of the game of baseball is back in the news as the perjury trial of Barry Bonds is now in the jury selection phase. Let me make this a speedier process: he's guilty. Look at him now, and look at him back when he played for Pittsburgh. If you can't tell that he took steroids then you need to have your eyes checked, because he had to take something to grow as much muscle mass as he did when he went to San Francisco.

The thing that bothers me about this trial though is the fact that it has been so long since the steroid allegations were made that this trial really doesn't mean anything anymore. I mean, Bonds has been out of baseball for several years now, and it's not like he's going to come back any time soon. If you're worried about the home run record, don't be, because in 3-4 years the record's going to belong to A-Fraud anyway, and then whether or not Bonds took steroids will be a moot point. Of course, to me it's a moot point regardless, because I think that congress has way too much other shit to worry about than to involve themselves in whether or not any baseball player took steroids. But, that's another story for another day.

Well, that's all I've got for this week. As always, feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.